Orange Peal - March 2021

March 2021 | Vol. 47, Issue 8

An Orange County Public Schools Employee Publication

KEEPING THE ARTS MOVING FORWARD pg. 16 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ...

PROCUREMENT SERVICES pg. 13 BENEFITS

BULLETIN

pg. 24

EDITORS Shayla Cannady Alayna G. Riggins

DESIGN & LAYOUT Eric Mateer Ashley Marrotte

ADVERTISING Adrienne Noel

CONTRIBUTOR

Kimberly Eisenbise To submit your story ideas, email orangepeal@ocps.net.

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SAVE THE DATE March 11

End of Third Marking Period

March 12

Teacher Workday/Student Holiday

March 15-19 March 22

Spring Break (Schools Closed/District Offices Open)

Begin Fourth Marking Period

Cover photo: Kieshalia Stephens Back cover: Postcards from the Lake Nona High PostSecret Project The Orange Peal is a districtwide publication for and about the employees of Orange County Public Schools.

The School Board of Orange County, Florida, does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law. The following individuals at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 W. Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32801, attend to compliance matters: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer & Title IX Coordinator: Keshara Cowans; Section 504 Coordinator: Tajuana Lee-Wenze.

(407.317.3200) ©2021

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8 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

You’re The Best

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District Dispatches

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Around OCPS

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A Funny Thing Happened

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A Day in the Life Of ...

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Keeping the Arts Moving Forward

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Retirement Corner

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Benefits Bulletin

Some photos used in this publication were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and do not reflect the current face mask mandate or social distancing guidelines required by Orange County Public Schools.

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You're the Best The College Board has awarded the following teachers with the 2020 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science Principles

▶ Denise Hinds Cruz, Computer Education,

Edgewater High

▶ Dr. Jamila Mitchell, Business Education,

Evans High

The Florida Bandmasters Association honored the following teachers during the annual Florida Music Education Association conference held virtually this year:

Denise Hinds Cruz, Edgewater High

Dr. Jamila Mitchell, Evans High

▶ Ken Boyd, West Orange High director of

Bands and Orchestra, received the Oliver Hobbs Award. This award celebrates Florida band directors with at least 15 years of service who earn superior ratings (at least 75% of the time) at concert and marching Musica Performance Assessment, and render service to the profession in a leadership role or on a committee.

Brian Sullivan, Glenridge Middle Ken Boyd, West Orange High

▶ Angela Pagunsan (right),

director of bands for Timber Springs Middle, and Brian Sullivan (left), director of bands at Glenridge Middle, earned the FBA’s Linda Mann Award. This recognition is presented to junior high or middle school band directors who earn Superior ratings at the FBA District Concert Music Performance Assessment for five consecutive years.

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Angela Pagunsan, Timber Springs Middle

The 2020 Spiritual Art Awards honored Jesus Marin, art teacher at Cypress Creek High, with the 2020 Honorable Mention Abstract - All Mediums award. His Harmony abstract piece depicts one side that is black and white, symbolizing the troubles and dark side, and the other side with color stain glass representing beauty and happiness.

Jesus Marin, Cypress Creek High

Brenda Christopher-Muench, physical education resource teacher with Advanced Studies, has received the Don Knitt Service Award by SHAPE Florida. The award recognizes a member who makes significant contributions to the organization of public and private school physical education and health education teachers who work to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice and increase support for high-quality health and physical education, nutrition programs and physical activity.

95964 Brenda Christopher-Muench, Advanced Studies

Orange County School Counselor Association honorees

The Orange County School Counselor Association recently named the following at its annual recognition ceremony,

▶ High School Counselor - Caitlin Diaz, Wekiva High ▶ Middle School Counselor - Audra Gefter, Wedgefield School ▶ Elementary School Counselor - Johanny Rivera, Meadow Woods Elementary ▶ Advocate - Michelle Urquhart, Maxey Elementary ▶ High School Administrator - Walton McHale, Cypress Creek High ▶ Middle School Administrator - Tommy Bennett, South Creek Middle ▶ Social Worker - Vanessa Eichman, Psychological & Social Services ▶ Support Person - Jessica Torres, Freedom High ▶ School Psychologist - ShelbyAnne Farrissey, Psychological & Social Services ▶ Post-Secondary Specialist - Tiajunia Wheeler, Orange Technical College - Orlando Orange Peal

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District Di New Law Enforcement Program OCPS, in partnership with the Orlando Police Department, Valencia College School of Public Safety and Orlando Regional Realtor Foundation, will commence the new Junior Reserve Law Enforcement Program next school year at Jones and Lake Nona high schools. The program will engage freshmen and sophomores in community service, provide an understanding that law enforcement serves the community and protects the public and expose students to various careers in law enforcement.

FFA Honor The Colonial High FFA Chapter, led by sponsor and Agriculture teacher Caela Paioff, was recognized as a Model of Excellence finalist by the National Future Farmers of America at its national conference held virtually at the end of last year.

The program recognizes the top 10 FFA chapters from across the country placing recipients in the top 0.1% of programs nationwide. This is the first time an Orange County school has received this honor.

Contest Winner The Windermere High Band, led by Director Rob Darragh, won the Observer Media Group’s first “Show Us Your Strength” photo contest and received $2,500 that will be used to purchase instruments for the band program.

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ispatches Congratulations Cohort 8 of the Management Leadership Academy completed two years of leadership training in December with a virtual graduation celebration. Transportation Director Bill Wen provided the keynote and inspired the group by sharing experiences and his leadership journey.

Each participant shared a leadership quote and highlights from the two-year training courses.

A Lovely Donation OCPS received 46 wheelchairs for schools to provide the gift of mobility to students with disabilities while they are on campus, courtesy of Chair The Love. The nonprofit organization is focused on providing equipment and services to people with mobility-related issues and assisting them in regaining their independence, and plans to donate 104 additional wheelchairs, at a future date, for a total of 150 donated to OCPS.

How Green is Your School?

Now through May 17, schools can apply for the OCPS Green Schools Recognition Program. The program recognizes and rewards our schools for their sustainability efforts in sustainability curriculum; resource conservation; health & wellness; community involvement; school grounds enhancements; and innovation.

This year’s application has been simplified to give schools the opportunity to highlight their hard work. Rewards include top prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $1,000. Projects can also win $750 sponsorships.

To apply, visit http://orangepeal.pub/MarchGreen.

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STOP THE SPREAD For the protection of our community, please do not come to work if you or anyone in the home:

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We are the future.

2021-22 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION Now enrolling the Class of 2034 http://kindergarten.ocps.net

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OC PS O

West Orange High PTA members and others happily donated food and gifts for needy families through Project Cheer.

The ladies who work the Information Desk are all smiles when greeting staff and visitors at the RBELC.

Dillard Street Elementary administrators donned their antlers for their 2020 holiday season “Reindeer Games.”

The third-grade team surprised the Custodial crew at Conway Elementary with cards and donations for the holidays.

Hunter’s Creek Middle School Resource Officers were recognized in January for National Law Enforcement Day.

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Food and Nutrition team at Lake Nona Middle have been working overtime to distribute meals.

Piedmont Lakes Middle counselors were all masks and smiles during National School Counselors Week.

Union Park Middle staff uplifted students and themselves with their Black History Month T-shirts.

Eagle Creek Elementary administrators really got into character with “The Wizard of Oz” for Literacy Week.

Celebrating Bagel Day at Liberty Middle.

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a funny thing happened The following note was sent in by the parent of a LaunchED@Home student with this photo. “[My child} is not in class because the dog ate the internet cable.”

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Tina M. May Program Assistant Conway Elementary

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A Day in the Life Of ...

Procurement Services With great efficiency, the Procurement Services department works to equitably secure needed services and products with vendors, contractors and businesses to keep OCPS employees and facilities working on time and within approved budgets. It also provides centralized printing; records management; mail; courier; surplus PPE supply distribution; and warehousing services to the district.

During fiscal year 2019-20, the department processed more than 33,000 purchase orders totaling more than $827 million and saved the district $35 million through its actions.

On the fourth floor B side of the Ronald Blocker Education Leadership Center sits 14 of its team members. Except for Facilities Construction, this team handles everything purchased for the district – from pens and copier paper to carpet and furniture to milliondollar HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) installations and digital device needs.

Name: Susan Perry Role: Administrator/Senior Buyer Years with OCPS: 2 Hometown: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

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Down a short corridor of four cubicles sits Susan Perry, who in less than three years with the district has risen from a clerk to an administrator/senior buyer. Her day (7:30 a.m.

- 4:30 p.m.) – and that of her close-knit team responsible for maintenance – is filled with processing purchase orders over the PCard limit; approving shopping carts; answering employee and vendor requests, bid proposals, contracts and addendums; and tracking spreadsheets, Equal Level, emails and more.

“You want to buy the best product at the best value and best price. And you have to do it fairly and transparently,” she said. “We work with the end users – bookkeepers to facilities and maintenance, transportation ­– just about anything that’s purchased in this district comes through the Procurement department.”

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Previously a purchasing manager for the Citrus County School Board, Perry took a role as a clerk to join the OCPS Procurement team in 2018 hoping to move up the ranks. The former Citrus County resident of 28 years also worked for food distribution giant Sysco for 12 years and has restaurant management experience.

Since coming to OCPS, Perry has earned the department’s quarterly Silver P.R.I.D.E. award and is currently in Cohort 9 of the district’s Management Leadership Academy. In her spare time, she also is studying to get her Certified Professional Public Buyer certification from the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council.

“That is my goal, to get some initials after my name,” said the widowed mother and grandmother.

Perry also is diligent about following procurement forums to learn about new ideas and resources.

“Procurement is constantly changing. Nothing is the same every day,” she said. “There are so many people; you need to be a sponge. We all are just borrowing, reviewing, learning from each other.

It’s just so cool.”

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The Orange Peal team recently spent the day shadowing Perry (from a social distance) and learning about district projects on the horizon.

7:54 a.m.: Looks up a records request for a lighting contract at Edgewater High.

8:03 a.m.: Tracks a bid in the Smartsheet project management system.

8:16 a.m.: Calls a vendor about payment; leaves message, pointing him to the correct team.

8:21 a.m.: Checks email from a vendor who has responded to a Vendor Performance Report issued on Jan. 26.

8:27 a.m.: Checks her Work in Progress email folder; archives finished work.

8:31 a.m.: Works on an RFQ (request for quotation) addendum for remediation for a building at Magic Way. 8:37 a.m.: Goes to speak with Procurement and Contracting Services Director David Wheeler about an agreement question.

10:39-10:50 a.m.: Takes a call from a director about an HVAC installation services project.

11:17 a.m.: Wheeler comes over to talk with Perry about the HVAC installation services bid.

11:39 a.m.: Checks another email; gets an update from a teammate about a vendor’s renewal bid.

11:51 a.m.: Breaks for lunch, where she exercises by walking a mile around the fifth-floor parking garage and stairwells before heading back to her office.

1:13 p.m.: Responds to vendor emails.

1:29 p.m.-1:54 p.m.: Reviews another email and crafts a response to an HVAC vendor request for payment for a secondary quote. She and a colleague converse about the contract and OCPS policy.

2:14 p.m.: Approves time off for team member; approves shopping carts over $25,000.

8:54 a.m.: Researches to learn that a vendor who is looking for a check has been previously paid electronically weeks ago.

2:27-2:33 p.m.: A fire drill announcement is made. She and team members depart their offices and floor; walk down B stairway to the Board Room and then back up the A stairway to their offices.

8:55- 9:03 a.m.: Takes a call from an employee about ordering from Amazon.

2:35 p.m.: Helps a colleague who is ordering toner cartridges on Equal Level.

9:05- 9:18 a.m.: Processes shopping carts.

2:44 p.m.: Reviews a few RFPs (Requests for Proposals).

9:19 a.m.: Calls an employee about an email.

9:35 a.m.: Emails employee about a vendor performance report.

9:54 a.m.: Receives a public records request from a vendor.

10:08 a.m.: Runs a spend report to make sure contracts are not over their board-approved amounts.

10:34 a.m.: Responds to a request about a spend report.

3:08 p.m.: After revising an RFQ tab sheet, she corrects a scorecard based on new RFQ results.

3:15 p.m.: Calls an employee to make sure a request is not a duplicate entry.

3:29 p.m.: Reviews another round of purchase orders and shopping carts in SAP. 3:43-4:27 p.m.: Finishes the day working on various purchase orders and shopping carts in SAP.

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For years, Orange County Public Schools has been applauded for providing our students access to the visual and performing arts. Notable alumni grace the stages of New York and Hollywood and cities in between.

And just last month the former Edgewater and Jones high school marching bands directors and alumni were heralded for helping lead the way in local race relations on the PBS special “Marching Forward.”

Studies continue to show that students involved in the arts perform better in their academic courses. But most learning has suffered this year due to COVID-19. This district experienced a decrease in student enrollment and nearly half the student population started the 2020-21 school year learning from home under the LaunchED@Home option.

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Arts educators – as have their colleagues teaching other disciplines – have had to flex themselves (mask mandates, spacing, sanitizing) and navigate technology (Canvas, Big Blue Button, Nearpod, etc.) to engage with students safely and move through the new world of virtual assignments, concerts, exhibits, presentations and assessments.

While this hybrid of teaching face-to-face and LaunchED@Home students has surfaced many challenges, teachers remain committed to finding creative solutions to further the arts for their students.

“The arts are essential for students as they act as a conduit for those deep and meaningful relationships our students require for their social and emotional well-being,” said OCPS Arts Senior Director Scott Evans. “Despite the pandemic, OCPS students have had the opportunity to continue their studies in dance, music, theatre or visual art thanks to our innovative and passionate arts educators.”

Visual Arts When COVID forced teachers to pivot to online learning last spring, Brandi Anderson was in her first year of teaching art at Independence Elementary.

“I haven't really had a full year of going in like a normal year. So it's been an adventure,” said the 11-year educator and former PE teacher.

students turn on their cameras, she just turns the smart board off.

“I have been forced out of my comfort zone,” she said. “ I'm not very, very old, but as far as technology goes, I feel very ancient compared to people who are 10 years younger than me.”

This school year, instead of the 650 students coming once a week to her class, Anderson has had to switch and go into other teachers’ classes to teach – and lessen student movement.

After she logs in on Big Blue Button on Canvas and gives her LaunchED@Home students their assignments, she then sets up the assignment for face-to-face students on Canvas on the teacher’s classroom smart board.

To limit distractions, she says both sets of students only see her. If she has LaunchED@Home

COVID-19 has forced Brandi Anderson to teach outside of her art room at Independence Elementary.

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At Maitland Middle, the sixth-eighth graders who have returned face-to-face have enough room to spread out in Stacey Fisher’s art class.

Their projects have been limited by not being able to share materials as they would normally.

To get their minds back into work in January, Fisher assigned her 200 students the COVID 2020 Project, where they had four challenges to draw four things about the pandemic: something they missed; something about their family; the worst thing that happened; and something they learned.

What materialized was a form of emotional therapy for the children.

“I told them, ‘Keep this paper that you've drawn on and written on, … because when you're older like me, you'll find it really interesting to go back and look at this and say, wow,’” said the 21-year teacher. “I hope this is the only year we ever have to do it.”

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The visual arts and theatre departments are collaborating to produce their own version of Frank Warren’s PostSecret community art project at Lake Nona High.

As an extra credit project, more than 50 juniors and seniors have shared some innermost thoughts on postcards and made artwork to correspond to it. Theatre students will then interpret and turn them into scenes.

Real and raw emotions were exposed in the Maitland Middle COVID 2020 project.

“They are eager to see the outcomes,” said Visual Arts Teacher Michelle Ramirez, who along with Theatre Teacher Gail Chase, helped to bring the project to life.

Noting the social and emotional learning connections the students are making, they hope this project will become a Lake Nona tradition. The impact of working together on this project has benefited the teachers as well.

“With social distancing, online meetings and less social opportunities, this collaboration has helped me to feel tethered to the school instead of afloat on my own,” Chase said.

“The arts teachers [visual and performing] are outstanding at making each other feel connected. That sense of community makes Student artwork will be turned into theatre scenes at Lake Nona High.

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express character intentions, Whitman has spent time on character physicalization.

“They [have] to work on telling the story and expressing throughout the body because most of their face, which is where we normally go for expression, was covered. So that was a big challenge,” Whitman said.

Student performers are not the only ones being challenged. With the opportunity to stream productions for greater audience reach, student technicians and designers have been tasked with understanding elements of film production, digital media and marketing. For some, these opportunities have introduced students to a brand-new element of design.

“Students are still learning and growing and experiencing,” Whitman said.

Dance The Dance magnet at Dr. Phillips High has been lucky enough to have a majority of its 32 students attend school face to face this year. Its three sections, led by longtime dance teacher Kathy Follensbee, are still small and intimate with students blocked together.

Over the summer, Follensbee researched and bought all her program students Marley floors, so they could practice safely at home and at school this year. a profound difference in my teaching because I am reminded daily that I am not alone, that we can brainstorm any problem together, and that everyone is feeling the stress of teaching this way.”

West Orange High's theatre troupe has learned to adapt its productions during the pandemic.

Theatre “Freaky Friday,” the spring musical at West Orange High, will go on as planned next month, albeit with a smaller audience. Limited to a 25% capacity, while production ticket sales have decreased this school year, Drama Teacher Tara Whitman is working to keep things operating as normal for the award-winning theatre troupe.

Students are rehearsing 6 feet apart, donning masks and performing on camera for virtual presentations. With student performers forced to slow down and utilize their whole bodies to

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Unable to travel across the county, state and nation as in the past, Follensbee has invited about 20 virtual guests to share their artistry with her magnet students.

“It picks up all sounds in the room. Kids in the back row can make a comment or say something, and the kids at home can hear them.”

“I have to do a lot of translation from what I think the instructor wants to the students,” she said.

He also recommends his LaunchED students wear headphones for immersion in the class, so they're not just hearing him but their classmates as well.

In addition to technique, Follensbee also has focused the students, who practice masked, on wellness checks throughout the day.

“I started off the first two to three weeks where I would share a daily quote and a message, and we'd interpret that,” she said. “And now the students take that on, and it's shared by somebody new every single day.”

Music The 120 band and orchestra students at Audubon Park School may be getting used to the new technology used in Bryan Munera’s music class.

To make sure both face-to-face and LaunchED students can hear everything transpiring, Munera set up a Blue Yeti microphone in the front of the music room.

This quarter Munera also received a Swivl for class use. Each class has an assigned “Swivl professional” to turn on the device’s camera and pan around the class.

Trying to get back to some sort or normalcy, he says, “Giving those kids those little tiny jobs in the room is really giving them a sense of purpose.”

■ More than half of the 120 band students across the various ensembles at Evans High are LaunchED@Home students. For Director of Bands Mario Ford, that has been a challenge to teach through the computer screen, especially if students are reluctant to turn on their cameras.

Students who do come to school face to face are fairly spaced 6-to-10 feet apart in the band room. LaunchED@Home students can opt to attend sectional rehearsals held after school in the band room or school courtyard.

Ford notes positive growth from the mixture of levels in rigorous, smaller group rehearsals.

“For spacing, we just do all the woodwinds, all the brass, etc. together. …,” he said. “What I've seen now is you're getting those younger students sitting next to those older students, where they normally wouldn't do that as often.

Now your senior, first-chair, All-County flute player is sitting next to the freshman flute player. And so there's a lot of benefit in that.”

• For equity among his students at Castle

Creek Elementary, Earl Vennum got creative and found a combination of websites with singing and playing virtual instruments for his With his iPad on the Swivl, Bryan Munera teaches students at home and in the class at Audubon Park School.

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Evans High's Mario Ford is seeing value in small group rehearsals.

650 K-5 students to use each week. I wanted to find something everybody could do. So we all had computers, and kindergarten and first grade, they're using their iPads.

“The technology has given us these tools, and the students can then put them together easily. Whereas before with no technology, it would be very difficult for a student to make a recording of themselves playing xylophone and then put drums with it. … But now with the computers, students can create a composition that has multiple instruments very quickly and then share it, and their friends can listen to it.”

He also tries to incorporate performances as much as possible, which gives his students the chance to engage and grow.

“I've had students come out of the woodwork, whom I never thought was someone who would be brave enough to sing, but because this is their chance to connect with their friends through music class, [they want to].”

■ Since Aug. 26, 150 middle schoolers in Christiane Lynch’s chorus class have been traveling around the nation and world on World Music Wednesdays.

“I thought, ‘Man, a great unit that would be to have the kids travel to different places,’” said the Bridgewater Middle chorus teacher, who adapted the idea from a Facebook group.

“I took the idea of traveling and I created a passport book for them on their Google Drive so that they have actual stamps from each of the places.”

In each country visited, classes take a virtual reality tour of a landmark; listen to its national anthem; learn about its folk music and an instrument; and also talk about the food eaten there.

"We almost never get through the whole presentation because we always have such deep conversations about the food,” she said.

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When the students visit different U.S. regions, they listen to a different rendition of the national anthem. A la the NCAA sports brackets, this has sparked class brackets about which artist sings the best version.

"I think the kids are having too much fun with it to not do it next year,” the fifth-year teacher said. “They are getting excited about Wednesdays, which are the hump days … . So to get them excited about anything is great.”

■ Last October, University High paved the way for outdoor OCPS choral concerts. Approved to hold its fall concert, six choirs performed a song each. A limited, in-person audience was able to attend the event held in the school’s courtyard plaza, with two people per performing student seated 6 feet apart.

Building a culture of trust was paramount for Choral Director Yelitza Greene, who sent detailed letters and answered parent questions about the rehearsal and performance.

“It was important for me to let the parents know how we were going to keep their children safe,” she said. “I did not want to jeopardize that trust factor and wanted to let them know exactly how we were going to address the issues of masks and staying 6 feet apart.”

With the fall concert a success, Greene and Assistant Choral Director Jay Dunn moved to producing the nighttime Winter Concert held in December. This time, the choirs sang two songs each.

Collaborative help was also enlisted from a technical theater student to map out the schematic; the theatre department erected scaffolding and lights; the marching band lent the sound system; and the dance teacher taught choreography.

Green added, “Coming together again brought that synergy and that community – that family and that joy of singing.”

University High is keeping choral music alive for its school community with its outdoor concerts.

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ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • Defers federal income tax on plan contributions until

cash distributions are withdrawn.

•

Contributions are always 100% vested to the eligible employee.

•

Administrators Vacation Payout to BENCOR 401(a) A retirement benefit with Orange County Public Schools is the payout of accumulated sick leave through the BENCOR Special Pay Plan. OCPS now includes vacation leave payouts for administrators as part of the BENCOR Special Pay Plan.

Watch Live for a

The benefits and features of the BENCOR Special Pay Plan include:

•

Permanent savings up to 7.65%: Social Security - 6.2% and Medicare - 1.45% tax

•

Each eligible employee can contribute ($58,000 limit in 2021) into the plan, which is a qualified IRS 401(a) plan.

(The eligible amount is offset by employer and employee contributions to the FRS Investment Plan.)

Contributions can be withdrawn from the plan, or participants may choose to invest amounts contributed to their account with no costs or fees assessed by the plan.

This program is mandatory for all administrators meeting the following eligibility criteria:

• •

Enter DROP/retire/terminate from the district;

•

Have a value of vacation leave of $1,500 or more.

Are age 55 or older in the year of retirement/termination; and

For questions, contact Retirement Services at 407.317.3227.

CHANCE TO WIN PRIZES

Upcoming Virtual Workshop: March 24, 5-6:30 p.m.

Medicare Planning Workshop

To register for the virtual WebEx, please follow the instructions on the bottom of the fliers at www.ocps.net >> Departments >> Retirement Services >> Retirement Workshops >> March 2021 Workshops.

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Convenient Mobile Mammography Offerings OCPS and Cigna are proud to announce that the Women’s Center for Radiology’s Mobile Breast Center will be on location offering screening mammograms at four of our transportation compounds (appointments at all locations start at 8 a.m.).

Hanging Moss Transportation Compound Friday, April 9

Lake Nona Transportation Compound Tuesday, April 13

Pine Hills Transportation Compound Monday, April 12

Eric Olson Transportation Compound Friday, April 16

To make an appointment, call 407.841.0822, option 2. Please note: • Appointments are required and patients must meet the eligibility requirements in order to participate. Visit http://insurance.ocps.net and go to the Employee Wellness page for more information and instructions.

• Walk-ins cannot be safely accommodated.

• Patients must wear a mask at all times while on the mammography vehicle, no exceptions.

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• Only two patients are allowed on the mammography vehicle at a time (one in the screening room and one in the waiting area).

• If you or any member of your household has COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting COVID-19 test results or tested positive for COVID-19, do not attend the mobile mammography event.

Why Should I Get Screened?

A great time to take advantage of lifesaving colon cancer screening is during March, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cancer in the United States and the secondleading cause of death from cancers that affect both men and women. It touches all racial and ethnic groups, and is most common in people age 50 and older.

Insurance Update As a result of ongoing discussions regarding medical plan costs and their effect on employees and the district, final benefit offerings and rates are not available at the time of this edition. It will be important to stay tuned for more information on this year’s annual insurance enrollment, including the dates when enrollment will be held. Updates will be on the Insurance Benefits Intranet page at http://insurance.ocps.net, select Enrollment Information, and will be sent by email and included in upcoming editions of the Benefits Bulletin.

While considerations for the 2021-22 medical plans are ongoing, we do know that Cigna (medical, behavioral/mental health and chemical dependency) and CVS Caremark (pharmacy benefit manager) will continue as OCPS medical plan providers for the new plan year beginning Oct. 1.

There are often no signs or symptoms of the disease, and often it occurs in people with no family history. The best way to protect against colorectal cancer is to get screened regularly starting at age 50 with one of the following tests: Colonoscopy: a visual search of the colon for cancer and precancer; performed in a hospital or outpatient facility that requires sedation and patient prep; recommended every 10 years* Flexible sigmoidoscopy: a visual search the rectum and part of the colon for cancer and precancer; performed in a hospital or outpatient facility that requires patient prep and may require sedation recommended every 5 years* CT colonography: a noninvasive imaging method where X-rays are used to form a computergenerated image of the colon to identify polyps and abnormal growths; performed in a hospital or outpatient facility that requires patient prep; recommended every 5 years* Fecal immunochemical test or fecal occult blood test (also known as FIT or FOBT): a noninvasive, athome test that tests for blood in stool; may require diet restrictions; recommended every year* Stool DNA test: a noninvasive, at-home test that detects abnormal DNA and blood in stool; requires no patient prep; recommended every 3 years* For more information about risks, the appropriateness of screening and which screening is right for you, talk to your doctor. If you’re not sure if you’re having a screening or diagnostic test, contact our OCPS Cigna representative at 407.274.2566, to find out which tests are covered by your insurance plan and how much you will have to pay. If you don’t have a primary care physician and you are enrolled in one of the OCPS Cigna medical plans, visit www.MyCigna.com to search your provider directory. *Talk to your doctor about the frequency of screening that is right for you.

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Stretch Your Tax Savings with a Flexible Spending Account OCPS offers two kinds of FSAs:

Medical Health care expenses like deductibles, copayments, dental expenses, eyeglasses.

Dependent Care Expense like day care; dependent is any person who either: (1) may be claimed as a dependent on the employee’s tax return and who is under 13 years of age or requires full-time care because of physical or mental incapacity; OR (2) is the spouse of the employee and is physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself or herself.

Eligibility and enrollment

Use of Medical FSA

If you are eligible for health benefits, you are eligible to enroll in one or both kinds of FSAs during annual enrollment. Remember, if you want to continue your FSA from plan year to plan year, you MUST re-enroll each year during annual enrollment.

For a Medical FSA, expenses covered must be “medically necessary” as determined by a doctor. You may not consider premiums paid for any health insurance coverage or expenses for cosmetic surgery – these are not allowed usages of your FSA. Over-the-counter medications require a prescription or Letter of Medical Necessity from your medical practitioner in order to be reimbursed from your Medical FSA.

Deductions YOU choose the annual amount(s) that will be deducted from your gross pay and transferred into your FSA; deductions are taken over 10 months in 20 paychecks.

Medical FSA minimum contribution: $200; Maximum contribution: $2,750 Dependent Care FSA maximum contribution: $5,000

Tax benefit The money you deposit in your account(s) is automatically deducted from your gross pay prior to calculating federal and Social Security (FICA) taxes. Your account deposits are not considered current taxable income and therefore don’t appear on your W-2 form as taxable income. Since your taxable income is reduced, so are your annual taxes.

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Be Sure to Read This Amounts deferred under your FSA are not counted as wages when determining your Social Security benefit, so it is possible that there may be a reduction in your Social Security benefits. Also, if you do not have reimbursable expenses equal to your deposits in either FSA in the same year, you will lose the remaining funds in your account.

Cigna Has Your Back (and Your Knees and Your Hips) When considering hip or knee surgery, it’s natural to have some concerns. Don’t let the cost and quality of care cause extra worry.

The OCPS Cigna plans provide a program that gives personalized guidance and support throughout the entire process – from finding a quality surgeon to reviewing treatment decisions and post surgery follow up. Best of all, this program covers the qualifying surgery (admission through discharge) at no outof-pocket cost when you participate in the program.

It’s 100% voluntary. Members have the option to have surgery wherever they choose according to regular plan benefits, but the cost will be higher.

Eligible procedures: • Low back disk surgery • Hip arthroplasty • Hip replacement • Knee arthroplasty • Knee replacement • Laminectomy • Spinal fusion Call 855.678.0042 to see if the surgical and treatment support program is right for you.

Benefits Bulletin is designed to keep OCPS employees and their families informed about available benefit programs. This information is not intended to replace professional health care.

See your health care professional for information relevant to your medical history.

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